Electric socket



Aug.21,1928. 1,681,425

. E. MOXTER ELECTRIC SOCKET Filed Nov. 22, 1925 IN VENTOR Patented Aug. 21, 1928.v

J UNITED STATESk 1,631,425 PATENT -ori-lci-z.

ERNST MOXTEB, 0F ST- LOUIS, MISSOU'RI,

i Application led November 22, 1923f Serial No. 676,406.

This invention relates generally to electrical-contact devices and, more particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in sockets applicable for use in electrical service connections in houses, stores, offices, buildings, and the like for lamps, plugs, and .other translating devices.

The chief objects of my present invention are to provide an electric socket'which may be readily manufactured and produced at low cost; to provide an electricsocket comprising an insulation shell of readily separable and replaceable complementing sections; to provide an electric socket comprising an enclosing insulation shell e uipped with readily detachable and replaceab e electrical parts or fittings including lamp-receiving and contact and conducting members; to provide an electric socket comprising spaced conductingmembers and conveniently operable means including an oscillatory lever `for electrically connecting the conducting members; to provide'an electric socket comprising separable insulation shell sections and electrical fittings that may be readily, conveniently, and coinpactly assembled; add to improve generally upon and simplify the construction of electric contact devices of the type stated.

With the above and other objects in view, my present invention Vresides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement,

rvand combination of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing,

` Figure 1 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken approximately through the 4 center of an electric socket embodying `my invention' v Figure 2 is a reduced similar view ofthe socket taken approximately at right angles to Figure l; and

Figure 3 is an elevational -view of the socket. y

Referring now` more in detail and by reference charactersto the accompanying drawing, which illustrates `a preferred embodiment of m invention, A designates the body or shell o the socket, which externally has preferably the sha e best seen in Figure 3. being generally cy indrical inform with `a rounded upper-end wall, as at 1. "The shell or body A is constructed of porcelain, hard rubber, or other suitable insulation material and is longitudinally divided to comprise a Apair of complementing separable sections-2, 3l

The body o r shell section 3,`best separately seen in Figure 2, is` internally hollowed or chambered annularly at its lower end, as at 4, to accommodate approximately half of a preferably metallic internally threaded tubu; lar member 5 open at its lower lend to receive and engage with the threaded base of a lam-p Lor other analogous translating device, not shown, as will be well understood; andinter mediate the upper end of its annular recess 4 `and its upper end-wall portion l, the shellsection 3 is additionally internally both longitudinally and transversely cut-away or iecessed to accommodate and seat the additional various electrical fittings of the socket, including the several contact and conducting members now to be described.

At its upper end, the tubular lamp-seating member 5 has an annular preferably integral inwardly presented flange, as at 6, riveted or section in a recess, as at 10,' provided for the purpose in the cylindrical wall of the she-' lllysection. 'By means of such screw 9 and angle otherwise rigidly fixed both mechanically and 8 and the mechanical connection betweenangle 8 and Vlamp-seating member 5, the 'lampseating member 5 is also detachably, but firmly, held to its seat within-the socket.

Seated flatwise within the shell-section `il in spaced nrelation from the angle 8, is a trans- -versely disposed second conducting-member in the form preferably of a flat strip l1 llikevwise detachably, but firmly, secured Or fastened to its seat by means of a screw 12 similarly threaded through the wall of the shell section to engage the strip l1 and having its head 12 also disposed below the peripheral plane of the shell-section in a wall-recess 1'3. Disposed at one end intermediate the strip 11 anditsseataiid also enga-gedb-y the yfastening-screw l2, as best seen in Figure 1, `isa depending longitudinally-disposed contact or switch-member in the form of a yielding preferably thin copper strip 14 suitably elongated for contacting engagement at its lower end with the conducting-angle 8 and suitably angularly bent `intermediate its ends, as at 15, for depressible engagement 'by means of `a suitable insulation lever or toggle ,16 project- Cil " sulated from the conducting-strip 11 by a wall 20 integral with the shell-section, as best seen in Figure 2, is a third conducting member preferably in the form of a suitably elongated metallic strip 21 also detachably, but iirmly,

" secured or fastened to its seat within the shellsection by means of a screw 22 similarly threaded through the wall of the shell-section to engage the strip 21 and having its head, not shown, disposed below the peripheral plane of the shell-section. Adjacent the lower end of the strip 21, the lamp-enga ging member 5 and its flange 6 are interrupted or brokenaway, as at 23, to accommodate the freely projecting end centrally at the base oi member 5,

as seen in Figures 1 and 2, of a transversely presented preferably copper or other conducting strip 24, which is riveted or otherwise rigidly iixed both mechanically and electrically at its other end, as at 25, to the lower end of the conducting strip 21 and which provides a spring or yielding center contact for the lamp or other translating device inserted in the tubular member 5.

Seated in the conducting-strips 11 and 2l, are binding-screws 2G, 2G, that are adapted to electrically engage the terminal portions ot electrical conductors 27, 27, which latter enter the socket through a. suit-able preferably circular aperture 28 provided jointly by complementing semicircular recesses formed in the end-wall portions 1 of the socket sections 2 and 3.

The shell-section 2, which is adapted to tit at its edge upon the edge of the shell-section 3 to complete the socket A, is also internally hollowed or chambered annularly at its lower endto accommodate the other half of the lamp-engaging member 5, and adjacent its upper closed end-portion 1, shell-section 2 is also recessed, as at 29, to accommodate the terminal portions of the lines 27, 27. Intermediate such upper recess 29 and its lower recess for accommodating the lamp-receiving `member 5, the shell-section 2 is substantially solid, as at 30, with merely such surface recesses that may be required to accommodate any projecting or protruding portions ot the several described fittings mounted upon the (3o-operating shell-section 3. Immediately above said lower recess, however, the shellsection 2 is formed with a projecting preferably integral portion 31 which, when the shell-sections 2 and 3 are in complementing the peripheral plane of the socket in a recess 33 provided for the purpose and the shellsections 2 and 3 being thereby tirmlyl secured detachably together in complementing shell completing relation. i

As so constructed, it will be evident that the shell-section 2, which is substantially a cover or enclosing-member for the several fittings carried by the complementing shell-section 3, may be readily detached from the section `3,

when the several described ittings of section 3 are fully exposed and repairs or replacements oi' any of such parts may be conveniently and inexpensively made.

My new socket is simple, inexpensive, and

compact in form and construction and ex- .i

ceedmgly eiiicient in the performance of its intended functions.

I may add that normally, with the shellsections 2 and 3 in shell-completin relation as illustrated in Figure 3 and with t 1e several enclosed fittings ot such sections in the relation illustrated in Figure l, the switch or contact-member 14 is at its tree lower end yieldingly spaced from the stationary contact or conducting-member 8. On rocking actuation of the lever 16, however, the contact-strip 14 will be depressed into contacting electrical engagement with the conducting-member or angle 8 and the wall of the tubular lampreceiving member 5, when the inserted lamp or the like seated in the member 5 andelectrically engaging both the member 5 and the center contact 24, will be energized.

I am aware `that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of .i i

the several parts of my new socket may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an electric socket, in combination, an insulation shell, a pair of conductors seated within and disposed in spaced relation longitudinally of the shell, said conductors bein also disposed in parallel relation and locate transversely of the shell, in different planes, separate screw members projecting from the exterior inwardly through the wall of the shell and engaging the respective conductors A for securing the same to their seats, a switchmember disposed longitudinally of the shell and having one end secured in electrical engagement with one of said conductors by one of said screw-members, the switch-member having its other end normally in spaced yielding relation to the other conductor, and a lever mounted for oscillation upon the shell for depressing the free end of the switchmember into electrical engagement With said other conductor.

In 'testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ERNST MOXTER. 

